IDS Balancer 3500
| USABILITY | B |
| CAPABILITY | C |
| PERFORMANCE | B |
| INTEROPERABILITY | B |
| MANAGEABILITY | B |
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Top Layers IDS Balancer 3500, the first IDS load balancer weve seen, is most useful for service providers and security-conscious sites that wish to balance workloads between IDS sensors, improving overall site security. However, for a dedicated server, its pricey, and it lacks failover capabilities found in other Web appliances.
SHORT-TERM BUSINESS IMPACT // The IDS Balancer can mirror network traffic to IDS groups right out of the box. Implementation isnt difficult, thanks to the intuitive Web-based user interface.
LONG-TERM BUSINESS IMPACT // The IDS Balancer lacks failover capabilities, so IT managers who need fail-safe operation will have to set up multiple redundant IDS groups or buy another box to ensure consistent network monitoring.
PROS: Performs application-based IDS load balancing; easy to set up and manage.
CONS: Expensive; supports only round-robin load balancing scheme; lacks failover capabilities.
Top Layer Networks Inc., Westboro, Mass.; (508) 870-1300; www.toplayer.com
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LONG-TERM BUSINESS IMPACT // The IDS Balancer lacks failover capabilities, so IT managers who need fail-safe operation will have to set up multiple redundant IDS groups or buy another box to ensure consistent network monitoring.
PROS: Performs application-based IDS load balancing; easy to set up and manage.
CONS: Expensive; supports only round-robin load balancing scheme; lacks failover capabilities.
Top Layer Networks Inc., Westboro, Mass.; (508) 870-1300; www.toplayer.com 
